Improvement in flexible eammee foe tueeet-guns



J. B. WALKER.

Flexible-Rammer for Turret-Guns.

Patented Sept. 10, 1867 /a/mzw W MFETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

J, B. WALKER, OF ELIZAB ETH. PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. (38,813, dated S'epfemb r 10, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLEXIBLE HAMMER FOR TURRET-GUNS.

din fitljtlmlt rennet in in flgiss infers fitment mil: making and at flgc 5min.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, Cadet J. B. WALKER, United States Military Academy, of Elizabeth, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Flexible Hammer for Turret-Guns; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making part ofthe same, in which- Figure 1, front view of wheel and chain for giving motion to the rammer.

Figure 2, elevation of flciiible rammer and section of turret, showing the screw and cogged gearing, which can be substituted for wheel and chain.

Figure 3, side view of one section of rarnmcr.

Figure 4, end view, and I I Figure 5 top view of same.

Figure 6, detailed view of rammer-head.

Figure 7, view of curved grooved plates, showing friction-rollers, the.

Figure 8, section showing friction-rollcrs in plan.

Figure 9, section showing friction-rollers in elevation.

Figure 10, plan view of lock to check the return of rammer.

Figure 11, showing'ball-and-soclcet joint of last section of rammer projecting when all are out.

Figure 12, socket-joint for head or sponge.

The object of my present invention is to avoid the danger, difficulty, and delay experienced in loading the guns of a monitor, especially while the same is in action. The area within the turret of anordinary monitor is so limited that not more than two feet are allowed for the recoil of the .gun when the same is discharged. Therefore, to reloadthe gun when the monitor is in action, it is necessary to revolve the turret, in order to carry the gun to the opposite side from which it was discharged, there load, and then again revolve the turret in order to bring the gun in proper position for action. The great delay and trouble incident to this plan will readily suggest itself to any one familiar with inventions of the class to which mine belongs. Another method, and one, so far as danger and delay are concerned, equally objectionable and impracticable, is to construct the rammer in short independent sections. By this plan, when it is desired to load the gun, one of these sections is inserted and driven its entire length into the gun, it of course forcing the load toward the breech. To this section another a section is secured, and the above operation is repeated, and so on until the load is forced into its proper position.

My invention is entirely free from all the objections and disadvantages known to exist in the arrangements above referred to, and consists First, in securely attaching the rammer to the turret of a monitor by means of a hinge, so that the same can be elevated or lowered as occasion requires.

Second, in constructing a flexible staff or rammcr-rod, which, while it readily accommodates itself to a curve ofone hundred and eighty degrees, at the same time possesses perfect rigdity while in the bore of the gun. This rigidity can be obtained either by means of a spring inserted in the joints, causing them to work on the same principle as a pocket-knife and its blade, or by means of a lock placed at the end of the tube. This lock, while it fastens the joints as they issue from the tube, releases them as they are returned. But in large rammers it will not be absolutely necessary to use either of the above methods, as the joints are only allowed to bend a few degrees, and are therefore incapable of doubling up to an inconvenient extent.

Thirdyin a simple and practical method of working the rammer within a tube and case by means of wheels and chain, or a screw, which are connected with said rnmmer through a suitable slide working in a slot which extends the entire length of the tube.

Fourth, in constructing the lower portion of the tube or case in a curved form, so that when the rammer is lowered the rnmmcnhead or piston is presented directly opposite to the muzzle of the gun, and the rammer rod being flexible, the gun can be readily loaded, no matter at what angle it is placed.

Fifth, in inserting between the plates at the lower end of the tube a series of friction-rollers, both on the out and inner sides thereof, so arranged that when the rammer-rod is worked, it matters notwhether it is force out or withdrawn, the same is not only kept in constant contact with but works upon said rollers.

Sixth, in the arrangement by which I not only work the rammer-hend, but also the sponge-head, for cleaning the gun. To accomplish this, either two staii's may be used, one with the rammer-head and the other with the sponge, working in independent tubes and easing, each constructed precisely similar to the one hereinafter described, or only one staff need be used, and the heads inserted and changed by means of a spring and socket.

The former affords greater celerity in the operation of loading. When the stafl" is rammed home the spongehead may be turned if necessary. To allow of this, the last joint next to the tube, while the spongc-staif is in the above-mentioned position, is connected with the one which follows by means of a ball-and-soeket joint or simple swivel. This will allow of a double motion, and the part with the head attached can be readily turned.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the turret of a monitor, constructed in the usual manner. To this, turret I firmly secure, by means of a hinge, a, the tube 13, in which the flexible rammer-rod or staff D works. To the lower end'oi' the tube 13 I firmly secure two curved grooved plates 0 C. These plates C G are open at their sides, and are firmly connected together by means of brace-rods c 0. Between these plates 0 C I insert two series of friction-rollers c a, so arranged that they are always in contact with the rammer-rod or staff, so that it matters not whether the same is driven out or drawn in, it works on the rollers. I construct my rammer-rod or stafi in sections, (1 (Z. These sections are slightly bevelled at their ends, which furnishes sufiicient flexibility to allow them to pass readily between the curved grooved plates C C. These sections cl (2 are connected together in the following manner: On one outlet each section there are three lips, and on the other two of an ordinary hinge-joint. I bring the end of one withits two lips in contact with the end of another section which has the three lips, and the two lips are inserted in the recesses between the three lips; a pivot is then passed through the centre of the projecting lips, which affords a secure and perfect working joint. The sections are all united together in the foregoing manner, with the exception of the section d, which is the last one required to protrude beyond the end of the plates 0 C. I unite this section with the one immediately in its rear by a ball-and-socket joint, which enables the portion of the rammer-rodor staii which. is inserted in the bore of the gun to be revolved with facility, which is not only a great advantage, but is absolutely necessary, when the sponge-head is attached to the staii', in order that the gun may be properly swabbed. K is the rammer-head, which is firmly secured to the end of the rod or staff. I have already stated that I prefer having the rammer-head and sponge-head worked by independent rods or staii's, but when one is used the pivot at. the point (1" is removed, which frees the section to which the rammer-head is connected, and a section with a sponge attachedcan be secured in its stead.

A slide, E, WOl'liS in the slot 11 of the tube B. This slide has an eye in its inner end, in which is firmly secured the end of the rammer-rod or stall. Near the end of the tube BI secure in suitable standards the hand-wheel F. At the point ot'junction between the tube B and plates C O I secure the pulley-wheel G, which is also supported in suitable standards. At the end of the-tube B I secure in suitable bearings the roller I. H is-a chain, oneend of which is attached to the slide E, and the other to the end of the rarhmer-rod or staff D. In the upper face of the sections (1 d there are grooves f, in which are secured springs g, which are sufficiently fiexibleto readily allow the rod or staff D to conform to the curvature of the plates 0 C, but the tendency of which is to straighten the rod or staff 1) as soon as it passes the ends of the plates C C. In large rammers these springs are not essential to its successful working. it is a spring-pawl, which is attached to either of the plates 0 O, and which rests in the bevelled joint between the sections of the rod orstaff. I To the tube BI secure at any convenient point a hook, j, to which I attach a suitable cord or rope, is, which passes over a pulley, 21, which is attachedto the top of the turret A, and by means of which the ram ner is elevated or lowered, as occasion requires. When theraminer is elevated the cord or rope It is belayed to the turret at any convenient point. When the rammer-head and sponge-head are worked by independent rods or stafis, the entire mechanism for operating the same is precisely similar to the one described, and the two devices are hinged side by side to the top of the turret A. v

The operation of the rarnmcr is as follows; To thc u-pper side of the slide E I secure one end of the chain H. This chain is then passed around the roller I, and then revolvedoncc around the hand-wheel F, and thence around the pulley-wheel G, and back to the slide E, and its end securedto the under side thereof. Thus it will be seen that when the hand-wheel F is turned toward the left, the rainmer is forced out of the tube B and plates C C, and when to the right, it is returnedto its original position within the tube and plates.

The wheels, roller, and chain can be dispensed with, if desired, and the rammer-rod or stall can be operated by means of a screw, eogged gearing, and crank, as shown invfig. 2, where L represents the screw, which works in suitable bearings, Z and l, at the ends of the tube B. This screw L passes through the slide E, and moves the same along the sldt b in either direction desired, this slide E regulating the movement of the rammer-rod orstaii' the same as when operated by the wheels, roller, and chain. When the rod or stat? D is operated by the screw Ii, the slide E is constructed with an outer eye, 2, on the inner surface of which is cut afemale screw, the thread of which-gears with the screw L. On the end of theshaft of the serewL there is a pinion-wheel, 771, which gears with the spur-wheel a, to which the crank iis attached, .and by which it is operated. The diameter of this spur-wheel n is about three times that of the pinion-wheel m, which enables me to impart to the screw L a very rapid motion. This spur-wheel a is supported in the following manner: The bearing 1 of the screw extends sufiiciently far to support one end of the shaft in which the wheel 11. revolves, and from the tube B extends another-bearing, Z, which supports the other end of the shaft.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and for which I desire to secure Letters Patent, is:-

.1. Constructing arammer with a-fiexible rod or staff, D, when the same is formed and operates substantially as described.

2. I claim the combination of the tube B, curved grooved plates 0 C, and rammeraod or stafi' D, when the same are'cofistructed and conibined substantially as above set forth, and for thepurpose specified.

3. I claim the tube B, curved-grooved plates C C, and rollers c e, when the same are combined and arranged substantially as set forth, for the purpose specified.

4. I claim the method shown of operating the rammcr-rod or staff, whether the same be accomplished by means of hand and pulley-wheels, roller and chain, or screwgspur and pinion-wheels; and crank, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth, I

5. I claim hinging the rammer t0 the turret, substantially as described, and forthe purposcs'specified,

-6. I claini uniting the sections for the rammer-rod at the point d by a ball-and-sockct joint, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth. I

'Iittestimony whereof I have signed m name to this specification in'the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' J. B. WALKER.

Witnesses:

A. L NEWTON, JOHN D; BLooB. 

